If you or one of your family members in Wisconsin works in an industry known to be dangerous, like construction or transportation, you will want to know what companies and the state may be doing to keep these employees safe. Having an idea of how many people are involved in serious accidents may also provide insight into how effective any safety efforts actually are.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the state of Wisconsin, 2016 marked the third year in a row in which the number of people killed in job-related incidents rose. In 2013, there were 97 workplace fatalities statewide. That increased first to 99 in 2014, to 104 in 2015 and then to 105 in 2016. This trend is consistent with the trend seen across the nation during this same period of time.
Nationally, there were 5,190 work-related deaths recorded in 2016, more than in the prior two years. That year, 2016, was also the first time that the country experienced more than 5,000 employment fatalities since 2008. Transportation was the most-cited factor in both the state and national death counts in 2016. Slips, trips and falls were also found to be involved in a significant number of the fatal cases. These facts seem to indicate that more is needed to keep people safe while on the job.
If you would like to learn more about what can be done to improve safety on job sites and protect workers and their families in the event that an accident does occur, please feel free to visit the employee accident and assistance page of our Wisconsin workers’ compensation website.
